Evaluation of foundation course program a cross-sectional study among phase 1 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery students in the state of West Bengal

Background: The foundation course (FC) at the beginning of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum is implemented which will provide a sound foundation for learning in the medical course and later in their professional career. Institutions are encouraged by National Medical Commission to develop their own FC module that addresses the local needs and brings out the Institutional flavor while aligning the whole program to the outcomes identified in the FC booklet. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate FC program from Students’ perception by quantitative method (Kirkpatrick level 1). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted among 250 students of the 2024–2025 batch of phase I MBBS for 6 months after obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee permission in a Government Medical College of West Bengal. A pre-tested and validated questionnaire (Pro forma) in Google Forms was given to the students after provided details about its various items and strict anonymity was maintained. The opinions of students regarding the utility of the sessions were sorted in a Likert scale and responses were compared using the Chi-square test. Results: Out of 250 undergraduate students, only 215 voluntarily participated, among them 147 (68.4%) were male and 68 (31.4%) were female. The mean age of the participants was 19.58±1.36 years. Among all the topics taught, the role of a physician, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Community orientation module, and Medical ethics were appreciated most. The majority of the students perceived that topic on-skill modules such as basic life support and CPR should be a part of their curriculum since they are must for becoming an Indian medical graduate. Sessions on computer skill, sports, and Yoga showed low student consensus revealing that these areas need to be improved. Conclusion: Students appreciated that the course allowed them time to adapt to the academic and Institutional environment and provided a solid foundation to face upcoming challenges while some sessions of FC needs upgradation.